Chess Puzzle #8u28g — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1413 · Intermediate · mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice, very long.

Position

White: king g1; queen c6; rook f1; bishop e6; knight f5; pawns e4/f2/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen f6; rooks b4/f8; pawns b6/c7/g6/h6. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxh6 — knight f5→h6, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf2+ — queen f6→f2, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf2 (rook f1→f2, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rb1+ — rook b4→b1, gives check. Opponent replies Qc1 (queen c6→c1).
  4. Best move: Rxc1+ — rook b1→c1, captures queen, gives check. Opponent replies Rf1 (rook f2→f1).
  5. Best move: Rcxf1# — rook c1→f1, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Rcxf1# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 5r1k/2p5/1pQ1Bqpp/5N2/1r2P3/8/5PPP/5RK1 w - - 0 26

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Puzzle data from the Lichess puzzle database (CC0). Analysis powered by Stockfish 18 in your browser.